Scavenging rate constants of eight hydrophilic antioxidants, including caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, genistein, glutathione, N-acetylcysteine, rutin, trolox, and uric acid against multiple ROS, namely superoxide anion, hydroxyl radical, singlet oxygen, and alkoxyl radical were determined with the electron spin resonance method. Direct flash photolysis measurement of the second-order rate constant in the reaction of alkoxyl radical plus the spin trap 5,5-dimethyl-pyrroline N-oxide made it possible to evaluate scavenging rate constants in antioxidants. The magnitudes of scavenging rate constants were notably dependent on the character of each ROS and the overall rate constants were highest in hydroxyl radical scavenging and the lowest in superoxide anion. The highest scavenging rate constant against superoxide anion was obtained by chlorogenic acid (2.9 × 105 M−1 s−1) and the lowest was by N-acetylcysteine (5.0 × 102 M−1 s−1). For singlet oxygen, the highest was by glutathione (9.4 × 108 M−1 s−1) and the lowest was by uric acid (2.3 × 106 M−1 s−1). All other numbers are listed and illustrated. Redox potential measurements of the antioxidants indicated that the antioxidants are likely to react with superoxide anion and singlet oxygen through electron transfer processes.

Recently, we proposed an oxygen radical absorbance capacity method that directly quantifies the antioxidant’s scavenging capacity against free radicals and evaluated the radical scavenging abilities for water soluble antioxidant compounds. In this study, we determined the radical scavenging abilities of lipophilic antioxidants which were solubilized by cyclodextrin in water. Commonly employed fluorescence-based method measures the antioxidant’s protection capability for the fluorescent probe, while we directly quantify free-radical level using electron paramagnetic resonance spin trapping technique. In addition, the spin trapping-based method adopted controlled UV-photolysis of azo-initiator for free radical generation, but in fluorescence-based method, thermal decomposition of azo-initiator was utilized. We determined the radical scavenging abilities of seven well-known lipophilic antioxidants (five flavonoids, resveratrol and astaxanthin), using methylated β-cyclodextrin as a solubilizer. The results indicated that the agreement between spin trapping-based and fluorescence-based values was only fair partly because of a large variation in the previous fluorescence-based data. Typical radical scavenging abilities in trolox equivalent unit are: catechin 0.96; epicatechin 0.94; epigallocatechin gallate 1.3; kaempferol 0.37; myricetin 3.2; resveratrol 0.64; and astaxanthin 0.28, indicating that myricetin possesses the highest antioxidant capacity among the compounds tested. We sorted out the possible causes of the deviation between the two methods.

Scavenging rates of cyclodextrin-solubilized lipophilic antioxidants, namely catechin, epicatechin, epigallocatechin gallate, and resveratrol, against alkoxyl (RO • ) radical were measured with the use of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spin-trapping method. Results indicated that the scavenging rates of catechin and resveratrol were notably dependent on the solubilizer used, i.e., native β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) or heptakis(2,6-di-O-methyl)-β-cyclodextrin (DM-β-CD). But, epicatechin and epigallocatechin gallate showed almost no dependence on the cyclodextrin used. Catechin's scavenging rate in β-CD was 66% lower than in DM-β-CD; in contrast, resveratrol in β-CD showed 45% higher rate than in DM-β-CD. Based on the reported solution-NMR structure of the inclusion complex of these antioxidants, it was concluded that the scavenging rate is decreased when the cyclodextrin cavity preferentially encapsulates the antioxidant-function bearing group, i.e., o -and p-quinolinol group in catechin and resveratrol, respectively. The depth of inclusion of the functional group determines the extent of the scavenging rate difference, suggesting that the cavity wall of the cyclodextrin acts like a barrier that hinders the approach of attacking free radicals. C 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 1

The interference of cyclodextrin solubilization with the measurement of oxygen radical scavenging capacity was investigated. Cyclodextrin (CD) that can solubilize water-insoluble compounds has been used in the oxygen radical scavenging capacity assay called oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) method. A vitamin E analog, trolox (2-hydroxy-2,5,7,8-tetramethylchroman-2-carboxylic acid) has been employed as a standard compound in ORAC methods and the results were often expressed in the trolox equivalent unit. We found that trolox ORAC values measured with electron spin resonance-based ORAC method, were markedly dependent on the CD concentration, i.e., it decreased by 50% when [CD]/[Trolox]=100 was present. 2D ROESY NMR study of trolox/CD inclusion complex revealed that trolox resided within the CD cavity. The reactive phenoxyl group in trolox is shielded from the attack by the oxygen radical, suggesting that this hindrance was causal for the decrease in ORAC values.